With help from Tony Romm, Michelle Quinn, Brooks Boliek and Eliza Krigman

CLOCK TICKING, SENATE STILL GRAPPLING WITH FISA — Tony Romm reports: "While the chamber is preoccupied with the fast-approaching fiscal cliff, the clock is also running out on the so-called FISA Amendments Act — provisions of which are scheduled to sunset at the end of the year. The law has its skeptics, many of whom fear that Americans are getting swept up in what is supposed to be a surveillance statute aimed at foreign targets. Its leading critic, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), has tried to block Senate consideration of the measure as he seeks more information on how many U.S. citizens have been affected. But the chamber now faces a daunting task in addressing Wyden's objections while processing a slew of proposed amendments to the extension, which the House approved without change earlier this year." More: http://politico.pro/VCgQ2t

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MORE FROM WYDEN ON THE NEED FOR DEBATE — The senator's point: If the chamber passes a clean reauthorization in order to get it done by year's end, it'll mean "we'd have gone nine years" by the time of the next expiration "without having a debate about FISA authorities." The lawmaker told us there have been "good conversations" between members' staffs and leadership, and he emphasized that a floor debate wouldn't be "days and days on end." Instead, Wyden said it'd be "enough to make sure these issues get at least some measure of discussion. And if that's not the case, I'm certainly going to make it clear I'm very troubled about the idea of having a long-term extension without a debate."

SJC TO MARK UP FRANKEN LOCATION BILL — The panel today plans to mark up Sen. Al Franken's Location Privacy Protection Act, a bill requiring companies to ask users before collecting their location information. (It was initially scheduled for this morning, but it was postponed last night — it's now subject to the chair, but we're expecting it to begin around 4 p.m.). We'll have timing updates on Pro, but for now, here's what to expect:

--The item to watch: Franken's manager's amendment. The master tweak would make it clear that penalties only apply to companies that "knowingly" run afoul of the proposed law, and it tightens the definition of "geolocation information." It makes more specific exceptions to ensure companies can collect information (without consent) to combat fraud and deliver simple services and writes into it a provision that emphasizes the bill doesn't involve law enforcement. And the package of changes put the onus on first parties — the consent, which only must be obtained once unless the use changes, doesn't apply to third parties that later obtain the data. (However, those companies still would have to disclose it to users.)

--There's recognition that the Senate doesn't have time for Franken's bill before the end of 2012 — not to mention, there's no House counterpart, as the chamber hasn't even held a hearing on a similar proposal in the 112th Congress. This work, like ECPA reform, is being done with an eye on 2013, when lawmakers believe they'll have a greater shot at moving privacy legislation.

WCIT WOES — A key stakeholder raised concerns yesterday evening that the WCIT is headed in the wrong direction. “At the conclusion of today's plenary, the Internet Society is concerned about the direction that the [International Telecommunication Regulations] are taking with regards to the Internet,” said Internet Society President and CEO Lynn St. Amour. At the conclusion of yesterday's plenary session, confusion reigned over whether the chairman of the conference had adopted a resolution to incorporate the Internet into the treaty. A spokesman for the American delegation did not immediately comment. We're tracking from afar.

GOOD THURSDAY MORNING and welcome to Morning Tech, where we hear that Google has finally launched Google Maps for the iPhone. So, before users abandon Apple’s app, here’s a look back at some of its more bizarre — and hilarious — mishaps: http://bit.ly/R2fzTJ

LAST-MINUTE NEGOTIATIONS ON FTC-GOOGLE PATENT SETTLEMENT — An announcement is expected very soon on the FTC’s settlement with Google over its treatment of standards essential patents and its ability to pursue blocking products that infringe on those patents. One issue — which Google is likely to win — is a requirement that third parties will have to go through a process, such as arbitration over royalty rates, as part of Google agreeing it will not pursue injunctions. Another issue, according to one source, is whether Google will drop its standards essential patents cases at the ITC as part of any FTC settlement. (The ITC’s only remedy in cases where it finds patent infringement is excluding products from entering the U.S. market.) The FTC’s action is largely based on Google’s attempts to seek injunctive relief through the ITC as well as in U.S. courts. Sources close to the investigation say that Google is playing “hardball” with the FTC by resisting certain terms during the final stages of the negotiations.

** A message from Neustar: At Neustar, neutrality is so vital to what we do that it’s even in our name. We direct every call nationwide, and we treat each call the same. That's the importance of neutrality. That's Neustar — The Technology Behind the Technology. Follow us on Twitter @ Neustar. **

QUIET, PLEASE — Today is the day the CALM Act goes into effect. That’s the law that does away with blaring TV commercials, ensuring that ads are broadcast at the same volume as the programming around them. “Loud television commercials that make consumers run for the mute button or change the channel altogether will be a thing of the past,” Rep. Anna Eshoo said in a statement to MT.

Eshoo and fellow bill author Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse will host a press conference about it today, starting at 9:30 a.m. They’ll be joined by NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith, NCTA President and CEO Michael Powell, and ATSC President Mark Richer.

GOTTHEIMER'S NEW GIG: MT has learned that Josh Gottheimer, former advisor to Chairman Julius Genachowski, recently joined Microsoft as part of a new strategy team. The team, which reports to CEO Steve Ballmer, focuses on consumer insights, marketing and partnerships.

ROSENWORCEL LOOKS AHEAD — In a speech at the Practicing Law Institute telecommunications seminar this morning, FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel will lay out some concepts she thinks the FCC should follow as it grapples with the networks of the future. Public safety, universal service, competition and consumer protection should remain as the touchstone of the agency, she plans to say, according to a copy of her speech. “We are all wrestling with applying the laws of the present to the networks of the future, and we must make choices that inspire confidence and private investment in our nation’s infrastructure." she says. http://politico.pro/Rqf74V

SEATTLE ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR NEW BROADBAND NETWORK — Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn today will announce plans to bring an ultra-fast broadband service to Seattle’s neighborhoods. He’ll be joined by University of Washington President Michael Young, Gigabit Squared President Mark Ansboury, GigU Director Blair Levin and Ed Lazowska, Bill and Melinda Gates professor of computer science at the University of Washington. It starts at 1:30 p.m. EST. The livestream: http://bit.ly/cVci1u

OHIO LAUNCHED A NETWORK, TOO — Ohio Gov. John Kasich this week unveiled the state's 100 Gbps broadband network, which boosts Internet speeds tenfold for any public school, hospital, government or business that chooses to team up with a public entity such as a university or hospital. About $13 million has been invested in improving Ohio’s broadband infrastructure since Kasich announced the upgrade in February. "This is an ability — think about 4G — this is like 4G times a billion," Kasich said. "This is the real thing, where we can send amazing amounts of data so that videos, file transfers — the kinds of things that can be used at great distances to communicate back and forth to people who are engaged in anything from the development of businesses to the practice of medicine — it is an unlimited potential for the state of Ohio." http://bit.ly/SQsg4h

TODAY: PRO TECH LUNCH — Join us today for POLITICO Pro’s P2012 lunch, where we’ll look back on 2012 and forward to the key tech and telecom policy issues and debates ahead for 2013. We’ve got two stellar panels — one with Reps. Marsha Blackburn, Doris Matsui and Mike Doyle, and another with FTC Commissioner Julie Brill, Microsoft government affairs chief Fred Humphries, Facebook D.C. chief Joel Kaplan and Qualcomm VP and Legal Counsel Fabian Gonell. It starts at noon at the Westin on M St. More info on #P2012 here: http://politi.co/SSV6k2

SPEED READ

U.S. TERRORISM AGENCY TO TAP VAST DATABASE OF CITIZENS: The Wall Street Journal takes a look at the clash over the counterterrorism program within the Obama administration: http://on.wsj.com/Z1JG4e

ICE TO TEST BLACKBERRY: RIM says that the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, which recently outlined plans to move away from the Blackberry in favor of the iPhone, is now set to start testing the Blackberry 10. From Reuters: http://reut.rs/UCYAqP

MCAFEE ARRIVED IN THE U.S.: Anti-virus software founder John McAfee arrived in the U.S. last night after being deported from Guatemala, The Associated Press reports: http://apne.ws/12mrPTx

INTERNET USE IN ADOPTIONS CUTS TWO WAYS: The Web has allowed adoptees and their birth parents to reunite, but it has also brought fraud and other dangers, reports The New York Times: http://nyti.ms/XVmkM7

** A message from Neustar: No matter how many billions of calls are made across the country, Neustar makes sure they are all routed correctly. Our technology performs at an astonishing 99.999% success rate. And because all calls are created equal, we handle each call the same way, without playing favorites. That's neutrality — and it's so central to doing the job right that it's even in our name. We're Neustar — The Technology Behind the Technology. Learn more at www.neustartechnology.biz and be sure to follow us on Twitter @ Neustar. **

Authors:

About The Author

Jess Kamen is a technology reporter for POLITICO Pro and the author of Morning Tech. She was a Web producer for Pro for more than a year, and previously worked as a freelance writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Kamen has a bachelor's in political science from Johns Hopkins University and has toured the U.S. several times as the lead singer and guitarist in a punk-rock band.